Why Man United vs. Tottenham is always a classic

Two of Tottenham’s previous managers – Glenn Hoddle and Harry Redknapp, have been at the end of Man United’s mastery as evidenced by the truly classical comebacks.

The year was 2001 and Man United had already conceded three goals at halftime against Tottenham courtesy of Dean Richards, Les Ferdinand and Christian Ziege.

Football commentators were quickly predicting an apocalypse. Likewise, football shows were preparing for some post match analysis with headlines such as, “United mugged by Tottenham,” “Ferguson’s waterloo,” “Hoddle chews Fergie,” or even the more catchy of all, “Disaster for United at White Hart Lane.”

It was all merry and joy for the Lilly White gang until Man United unleashed their typical trademark.

Andy Cole scored immediately after the restart to reduce the deficit, and Tottenham fans just smiled ironically as to dismiss the goal.

On the hour mark, Laurent Blanc out-jumped his marker to score from a Beckham’s corner – Spurs fans were evidently astonished. Minutes later, Ruud van Nistelrooy nodded in a Silvestre’s cross to level the score – at that exact moment, not even the most of Tottenham optimists could discount a win for United.

Then the inevitable happened when Veron scored after Scholes and Solskjaer had combined to put him through - Tottenham fans were already advancing theories of match fixing!

Not to be outshone by his mates, David Beckham struck a shot that very nearly ripped the net to make it a comfortable win for Sir Alex and Man United.

The final score was a respectable 3-5 in favour of Man United.

Glenn Hoddle had watched a scintillating first half that gave his team an upper hand going into halftime only for him to witness a tumultuous second half that inflicted a catastrophic degree of defeat on his lads; a classical game of two halves.

It is rarely dull when Manchester United slugs it out with Tottenham Hotspurs – classical comebacks have been witnessed in some style.

The year is 2009 and Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham are threatening to damage United’s prospects for a League triumph.

Inside a fully packed Old Trafford, Tottenham strike with two goals from Darren Bent and Luka Modric. Then after the restart, Sir Alex did what many managers wouldn’t – already with Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Dimitar Berbatov on the pitch, Sir Alex withdrew Nani and introduced another forward in Carlos Tevez.

Both set of fans knew that something was in the offing. Michael Carrick rounded Gomes in the penalty area, and the Brazilian goalkeeper tripped him.

A penalty was awarded and Ronaldo calmly dispatched it. Ten minutes later, Berbatov, Tevez, Ronaldo and Rooney combined to run rings around a hapless Tottenham defence line.

Rooney then found himself acres of space before turning his marker to equalize.

Then something really depressing for Tottenham fans unfolded; exactly one minute later after the equalizer, a Rooney’s cross was headed past Gomes by Ronaldo to give United the lead.

That partly explains why Ronaldo and Rooney were always at the end of some not so well intentioned boos from the Tottenham supporters each time we visited the White Hart Lane.

Further goals by Rooney and Berbatov in the match underlined the phenomenal comeback and gave the much needed impetus for a League triumph.

That victory ensured that the Reds remained odds-on to win the Premier League for a third consecutive season (which they did) despite pressure from Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool.

It is only fair to say that we had already patented the rights to own each trick that led to a comeback.

Make no mistake however as the current Tottenham team is no pushover. Last season, they triumphed against heavily stacked odds to gain entry into the Champions League under the management of one Mauricio Pochettino.

This is a Tottenham side that is far beyond what could have been expected of them in the first place. Spurred by the financial grasp and entrepreneurial skills of their Chairman, Daniel Levy, Tottenham boasts some exciting talents coupled with some established figures.

Levy’s prowess in deal-making within the football circles is symbolic of his legendary negotiation powers; he famously sold Gareth Bale to Real Madrid for £85.3 million which is an equivalent of €100 million! That transfer alone made us turn into financial gurus as we extensively questioned the fiscal aspects of football – trust Levy to get you a cool £32 million for Fellaini.

You even get more puzzled as to how Levy made Pochettino his prime target after the sacking of Tim Sherwood.

Statistically, the Tottenham manager wasn’t the best in the field; Mauricio Pochettino was no more than a modest defender for the Argentine La Albiceleste. H

is playing career in Europe boasted the likes of Espanyol in the Spanish La Liga as well as PSG and Bordeaux in the French Ligue 1.

Although his play was exemplified by a catalogue of defensive blunders, the Argentine managed to somehow hobble into coaching with Espanyol and Southampton, and currently with Tottenham Hotspurs.

How such a defensive-minded personality cobbled up a team worthy of Champions League football remains one of the modern-day mysteries in football.

On a brighter note that may thaw the hardened hearts and souls at White Hart Lane, it should be noted that the Tottenham brigade has in the past given us some of its best players; Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Carrick and Teddy Sheringham are some of the exceptional players that Sir Alex Ferguson successfully acquired from Tottenham.

However, later today, we will pay no homage to that gesture by Tottenham when they knock at the doors of the Theatre of Dreams.

We intend to not only grossly humiliate Pochettino’s lads, but also make them look like some demented chaps from the nearby mental illness facility.

That is a polite word to mean that we might as well overlook the cardinal rules of football and therefore turn the match into a platform for staging endless coups at Hugo Lloris’ goal.

Anyone fancying an Ibrahimovic’s hat-trick, a Pogba’s screamer or even Mkhitaryan’s double assists? Manchester United’s juggernaut could well be unleashed today when Tottenham come calling at Old Trafford!

This could be the day when the “Empire” strikes back in a savage manner!

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